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Thursday, September 20, 2012

So, it’s a bandh today!

“We live in India and are proud to be Indians,” all of us are used to of saying these words since our childhood. But, today I don’t feel so proud of being an Indian. Today there has been a bandh called by the opposition party in the name of hiked diesel prices, reduced number of gas cylinders, FDI in retail and so on. There has been a bandh few months back in May too. But still I am not able to understand this way of showing the protest. Is it the correct way to show our anger? I don’t want to discuss here which party is correct or which party is wrong. But these lonely roads in the city haunt me even in my dreams.

I am not someone who gets deeply affected by the bandh or any of the hiked diesel prices, reduced number of gas cylinders or FDI in retail. I am just a common young guy who travels in the bus when required, had to rush to his hostel canteen when he feels hungry and no matter whatever the retailer charges, he will pay the price. Then, why am I mourning? I am mourning because I think about millions of young kids who woke up early this morning and rushed to their schools but had to return after seeing a big lock on their school gate. I think about that passenger among those thousands of passengers of the trains whose train was stopped by some protestor and he could not reach home on time where his mother was still ill and looking for him before she takes her last breath. I think about millions of laborers who could not go to work because of this bandh and will starve with hunger. I think about millions of shopkeepers who are forced to close their shops by some party. I think about millions of those auto rickshaw drivers who would still be looking for passengers and so on. And, I feel so sorry because I can’t do anything for any of them. I am writing this article because once somebody told me that pen is mightier than sword and I believe if at least one of you understands my reason to write this article, the goal is achieved.

I don’t say that we should not protest against evils prevailing in the society, we should and we must. But, I believe that bandh is not the correct way to do it. We can always opt for better ways. Maybe, we should try to protest in front of the Constitution. Maybe we should stop the vehicles of those politicians who are behind these steps and not the poor auto rickshaw-walas. Maybe we should not try to affect our daily meals but of those politicians who fill their belly to its maximum capacity before coming out for a bandh. I think then we would be able to show our protest in a better way and we all could call ourselves- “a proud Indian.”

6 comments:

Very well perceived Vishal. These bandh at the name of "agitation against government policies" are few among the biggest shits to increase account balance of vote bank. Neither of the political party is correct as of now, at times it seems those seating on the "hot seats" have forgot imagery of an ideal leader. Though these bandhs are against some ill practice (as they say), they too contribute a lot to many losses. Like a day bandh badly affects the graph of an economy. Why to create another problem while yelling against other?

Bandh is a way of saying the agony of the people when they are oppressed with the bandhlessness of everyday life. It is a strong message the people make agaisnt the ruling party and this is the first stage of the blossoming of the revolution.....

These Bandhs are bacially to attract attention by political party & leaders and not to help anybody. It more of showing than doing. And who falls to the trap is the poor, illerate people who don't even know that this is going to affect them the most.